'Northland treasure' Troy Kingi is Artist in Residence at Government House

Northland musician, actor and entertainer Tory Kingi is this year's recipient of Mātairangi Mahi Toi Māori Artist in Residence at Government House - the home of Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy.

Musician, actor, entertainer and 'Northland treasure' Tory Kingi has had many accolades over the years for his outstanding body of work.

But his latest one will see him write and record a new album in Government House - the Wellington home of Governor-General Dame Patsy Reddy.

The multi-award-winning Kingi is this year's recipient of Mātairangi Mahi Toi Māori Artist in Residence.

Kingi, Te Arawa, Ngāpuhi, will be hosted at Government House by Dame Patsy Reddy from July to October to write and record a new album.

The Mātairangi Mahi Toi residency is a partnership between Massey University and the office of the governor-general that was established in 2016 to encourage and promote the development of Māori and Pasifika visual arts and creative practices.

The artist in residence has the opportunity to live as a guest in a cottage at Government House and is for an established senior artist or creator in their field.

Described by the New Zealand Music Commission as "our Northland treasure", the Bay of Islands-based Kingi rose to fame after the release of his first two multi-award-winning albums Guitar Party at Uncles Bach and Shake That Skinny Ass All The Way to Zygertron, along with memorable roles in films such as Hunt For The Wilderpeople, Pā Boys and Mt Zion.

His third album, Holy Colony Burning Acres – "a deep roots-reggae album with a strong political bent" (RNZ), won this year's Taite Music Prize, as well as two awards at the 2019 Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards – Te Māngai Pāho Best Māori Artist and Best Roots Artist. This week, his song Mighty Invader was named as a finalist for the APRA Silver Scroll Award.

Kingi will release his fourth album, The Ghost of Freddie Cesar, a memories-inspired record, on September 11. The album he will create during residency will be the fifth in his ambitious '1O1O1O Series', where he will release 10 albums in 10 years in 10 genres.

The new album, with the working title A 75+ Year Trip to Perpetual Sleep, will be written at Government House and recorded at the university's College of Creative Arts' state of the art music studio, and will take on the folk genre.

Kingi will be joined by award-winning singer-songwriter and music producer Delaney Davidson to produce a record based on compositions set to original poetry exploring ten common life stages.

Kingi will also participate in workshops with the community while in Wellington.

Deputy Kaihautu Toi Maori Rongomaiaia Te Whaiti says it is a great opportunity to welcome talent like Kingi through the residency programme.

"Troy's contribution to shaping New Zealand sound and music has been hugely significant and influential. And while we know him as an award winning Māori musician, he is also a devoted father and husband … I've actually heard rumours that his real talent is diving for kaimoana.

"These things combined are what makes him such a fine example for our Māori students … particularly our younger men. I'm excited to see all of that unfold."